Wednesday Audience

The Latest

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on March 13, 2024.

Pope Francis: Virtue enables us to have ‘a tendency towards the right choice’

Mar 13, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis on Wednesday opened a new chapter in his ongoing catechetical series on vices and virtues. Read more

Pope Francis presides over Ash Wednesday Mass at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome on Feb. 14, 2024.

Pope Francis on Ash Wednesday: ‘Let us return to God with all our heart’

Feb 14, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The Lord is inviting us to “remove the masks we so often wear” and to see ourselves as we truly... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his Wednesday general audience on Jan. 10, 2024.

Pope Francis at audience: Gluttony is perhaps the most dangerous vice

Jan 10, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

In the third installment of his catechetical series on vice and virtue, Pope Francis on Wednesday focused on the sin... Read more

Pope Francis delivers his general audience address to pilgrims in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican on Dec. 27, 2023.

Pope Francis: One must never dialogue with the devil

Dec 27, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis inaugurated a new catechetical series on vices and virtues during Wednesday’s general audience by opening with the story... Read more

Pope Francis speaks at his general audience Dec. 20, 2023, at Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: The Nativity is an example of ‘joy’ and ‘amazement’

Dec 20, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis on Wednesday spoke during his general audience on the importance of approaching the coming of Christ with “joy”... Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on Nov. 15, 2023.

Pope Francis: The Gospel is universal

Nov 22, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

During his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis highlighted the universal nature of the Church’s mission to... Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience at St. Peter's Square on Oct. 25, 2023.

Pope Francis: To evangelize, ‘faith must be inculturated’

Oct 25, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

At his weekly general audience, Pope Francis recounted the story of Sts. Cyril and Methodius as one of encounter with... Read more

Josephine Bakhita.

Pope Francis highlights St. Josephine Bakhita’s example of forgiveness

Oct 11, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

The Sudanese-Italian saint’s life story is “an existential parable of forgiveness,” the pope said Wednesday. Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter's Square, Sept. 14, 2016.

Trust in Jesus – not in things that don't matter, Pope says

Sep 14, 2016

By Hannah Brockhaus

Rather than trusting in ultimately unimportant things, place your hope in Jesus and you will not grow weary on the... Read more

Pope Francis at the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square, June 22, 2016.

Pope delivers weekly catechesis alongside his 'brother' refugees

Jun 22, 2016

Joined closely by just over a dozen refugees at his weekly public audience, Pope Francis said that in following Jesus’... Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter's Square on Dec. 16, 2015.

How does God show mercy to us? Through the Church, Pope says

Dec 16, 2015

By Ann Schneible

The Church is the “living sign” of God's love and mercy in the world, Pope Francis said during his Wednesday... Read more

Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square before the Wednesday general audience on April 22 2015.

Men and women complete each other – there's no other option, Pope says

Apr 22, 2015

By Elise Harris

Pope Francis said Wednesday that marriage is a vocation all believers are called to defend, specifically in terms of the... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims during his March 25, 2015 general audience.

Pope Francis on the family synod: 'We need prayers, not gossip'

Mar 25, 2015

By Elise Harris

During his weekly general audience Pope Francis spoke about the gift and call of the Christian family, and urged attendees... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during the Wednesday general audience on June 4, 2014.

Pope Francis stresses again: Divisions in Church hurt Jesus

Oct 8, 2014

By Ann Schneible

Speaking to the crowds that filled Saint Peter's Square during the weekly General Audience on Oct. 8, Pope Francis repeated... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during the Wednesday general audience on May 28, 2014.

Pope Francis says Holy Land visit aided Christian unity

May 28, 2014

Pope Francis on Wednesday said his pilgrimage to the Holy Land fed the desire for Christian unity and he encouraged... Read more

Pope Francis blesses a rosary for a pilgrim in St. Peter's Square during the Wednesday general audience on Dec. 4, 2013.

Pope: A Christian refusing to serve others is a 'pagan'

Dec 18, 2013

In his Wednesday general audience this morning, Pope Francis stressed the importance of humility and service in the Christian life.  Read more

Pope Francis during his general audience on Sept. 25, 2013.

Christ empowers us to be missionaries, Pope Francis says

Oct 16, 2013

By Elise Harris

In his weekly general audience, Pope Francis continued his reflections on the Creed, drawing attention to the Church's apostolic nature... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims during his Oct. 9, 2013 general audience.

Church's Catholicity embraces all of humanity, Pope says

Oct 9, 2013

By Elise Harris

During his weekly general audience Pope Francis explored the different elements of what makes the Church Catholic, reflecting on why... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square during his Oct. 2, 2013 general audience.

Pope Francis: 'Do not be afraid of holiness'

Oct 2, 2013

By Elise Harris

During his Wednesday general audience, Pope Francis urged thousands of pilgrims to recognize that although everyone is a sinner, it... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims druing his general audience on Sept. 25, 2013.

World needs the Church's witness of unity, Pope teaches

Sep 25, 2013

By Elise Harris

Today during his general audience, Pope Francis drew attention to the rich diversity within the universal Church, saying that such... Read more